


boiling water leaves scalding burns

by huhyouexist



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Azula's sort of a good person, Boiling Rock AU, Burns, F/F, Insecurities, Near Death Experiences, Pain, Scarring, She's also dating Ty Lee, azula figures out what she truly wants, azula sacrifices for ty lee, but it makes sense yk, fast paced redemption, fluff?, not really but kinda, she struggles, soft? azula, ty lees a worried girlfriend, vivid graphics, which is probably why
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:09:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29506011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huhyouexist/pseuds/huhyouexist
Summary: A different take on what could have happened at Boiling Rock if just a few things were different, but still go very, very wrong.
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 154





	1. Chapter 1

Azula’s head hits the metal roof loudly, her painful groan being all that escaped her. When she manages to pick herself back up, she catches sight of her brother boarding the cart passing just by them. Suddenly, the rope that their cart was being pulled along shakes wearily.

It was then that she remembered her and Ty Lee’s predicament.

Apparently, Ty Lee is quicker to notice it. “They're about to cut the line, Zula!”

Right. The rope was being cut. That’s why it was wobbling like this. It was why Zuko bashed her head into the steel of this cart and left her here.

Standing up, A stream of blood dripping from her skull and down a path in front of her eye, she watches her brother and his friends go, passing by them and down towards the prison below. Without Azula down there, she was sure they would have no problem getting past the guards and getting another ride.

A terrifying creak rips through her ears before the cart tilts sideways suddenly. One of the anchors had broken. There was only one left now.

“Tell them to stop!” Ty Lee yells, and Azula, who had grabbed onto a piece of piping protruding from the roof of the cart, merely looks towards the cards who still sawed at the rope.

“It’s no use!” Azula says, looking towards her girlfriend. “They can’t hear us from here!”

“Then wave your hand or something!” Ty Lee suggests. “I don’t wanna die here!”

Gritting her teeth, Azula weighs her options. They could try grabbing hold of the rope and hoisting themselves up, but the jagged coil would make for a harsh contact point. Her hands would probably release out of pain before she could do it.

The other option was to fall with the cart.

Azula’s best guess is that, if they are lucky, the cart will hold long out in the water long enough for them to jump to a nearby rock that Azula can see from here. Then they could wait until someone organized a rescue party.

The safer of the two options, but Ty Lee wasn’t going to like it.

A sharp snap is heard from above, and Azula looks to see the last coil starting to untwine itself, the edges breaking one by one.

“Zula!” Ty Lee tries again. “Please! Do something!”

“Don’t worry, Lee.” Azula says back, and gets a good footing on the pipe so that she can hoist herself when the time comes. She gives Ty Lee a smile. “I have a plan.”

Ty Lee barely has enough time to open her mouth before the cord breaks.

Instinct kicking in, Azula shoots herself up, shooting out a burst of flames to propel herself up more and grab onto Ty Lee’s waist. She hears the girl shriek in her arms, and they fly above the falling cart. For just a moment, Azula lets go of Ty Lee, letting the girl move upwards while Azula proceeds to fall before grabbing the underside of her back and legs.

Ty Lee latches onto her neck immediately, screaming the entire way down, but Azula focuses on her trajectory. A little burst from her foot sending them a little left and they land straight on top of the smaller side of the cart. It had fallen vertically, so half of the cart now stuck out in the water as it slowly melted the metal away.

For a moment, she turns to Ty Lee. “Are you okay?”

“You- I-...” Ty Lee stammers, completely speechless by Azula’s quick thinking and skills. “God I’m glad I’m dating you.”

Azula chuckles, setting the girl down on the ground. “Well I’d hope so, but we don’t have much time. The water is melting the cart quickly. Do you think you can make the jump to that rock over there?”

Ty Lee follows Azula’s eyes to see the small rocky surface just above the steaming lake. “...It’s a little far for me. I don’t know.”

“I’ll go first.” Azula says, standing up and flexing her fingers. 

“Zula-”

“It’s the only chance we have, Lee.” Azula mumbles, looking over her shoulder at the girl, now standing and looking at Azula worriedly.

“...I was gonna say be careful.” Ty Lee finishes, and Azula freezes for a minute before melting all over again.

“You’re such a sap.” Azula teases, pulling the girl in for a quick kiss. “I’ll be fine. _We’ll_ be fine, okay?”

“Okay.” Ty Lee breathes, and Azula releases her to take a step back to the very edge of the cart. Crouching down a bit, she focuses on the rock.

Underneath her, she could hear the gurgle of the boiling water, a constant reminder that she was on a time limit to get this done.

100 meters in front of her. Far, but now too far. She could make it.

Taking off, she gets a good footing on the edge of the cart before jumping into the air. All it takes is one good boost from her foot to send her towards the rock and land her easily atop it. Once her spot is secure, she turns to Ty Lee, who’s sitting on a nearly completely melted cart. Azula can see the nervous sweat dripping down the brunette’s forehead from here and holds out her arms.

“Jump! I’ll catch you!” Azula yells, but Ty Lee makes no move except a scared step backwards.

Her eyes were louder than any scream she could have made.

_I’m scared._

_So am I_ , Azula thinks. She didn’t want to lose Ty Lee. Not like this. Not ever. 

She wasn’t going to die here, and neither was Ty Lee.

She hadn’t even said it yet. She needed to say it at least once before they could even think about dying.

“Trust me!” Azula shouts.

Azula would bet money that Ty Lee trusted her enough for this. In fact, she’s betting her life. Ty Lee was able to jump and gain more air than any person she’d ever seen. Ty Lee could make it, al she had to do was-

Ty Lee jumps.

Azula watched her build up, a handstand that landed her just at the edge of the cart, bent down so that she literally shot off the cart like a cannon. 

She flies, and for a moment Azula gets caught up in her beauty. That moment passes though, and Azula is quick to realize something devastating.

She’s short by at least two feet.

_No_.

_Not yet._

It’s on pure impulse that she does it. Or maybe Azula’s showing a sliver of concern for once in her life, but she plunges a foot into the water as far as she can, and is able to grab Ty Lee’s wrist.

It burns like hell, the searing of her skin eliciting the most painful scream to rip from her throat, but it’s not enough to make her let go. Using the rest of her strength, she spins Ty Lee away, just over the water and sends her flying onto the rocky formation.

She sees Ty Lee hit the rock with a grunt before she registers that her arm felt like it was on fire. In fact, the entire left side of her body was boiling. 

_Shit_ , Azula thinks before another scream forces its way out of her mouth. She’d lost her balance and her entire left side had plunged into the water.

“Azula!” She hears Ty Lee scream, and all she can do is hold out her good hand, doing her best to keep her other leg in the air but is dangerously close to falling backwards. For a moment, she thinks she just might.

Ty Lee’s hand grabs her leg, and she is yanked back to solid ground.

She all but collapses, hearing Ty Lee’s shouts of pain because she had grabbed a hold of Azula’s boiling arm too, but she can’t move. Her entire body felt like it was combusting. She’d had fire in her veins since she was born, but now that heat was coming not to heal her, but hurt her.

Azula just wanted it to go away. 

She wanted Ty Lee to tell her it’s gonna be okay, but she couldn’t hear her. Her ears were ringing and the brunette couldn’t touch her because she was laying on her good side.

Would she even be able to bend anymore?

Suddenly, the pain turns to exhaustion for just a moment, and Azula falls onto her back. Her eyes were drooping dangerously and her body felt heavy.

There’s only one thing she can think of before she passes out.

“Father’s going to be pissed.” She laughs miserably.

-

_“She’s gonna be fine, Ty Lee.”_

_“It’s been almost 6 hours Mai! What if she doesn’t wake up.”_

_“Half of her entire body is covered in burns. She’s not gonna wake up right away.”_

Azula can hear their voices, but her eyes can’t be opened. They felt sealed shut, as if begging her not to come to. To just stay there, defeated.

Azula refused.

Forcing her eyes open, even if it was only a tiny amount, she whispers, “Wanna bet?”

“Zula!” Ty Lee immediately yells, but her voice sounds muffled. Probably from the sleep. “You’re awake!”

“How are you feeling?” Mai asks, and Azula notes the softer tone in her voice.

“Abysmal.” Azula groans, her mind finally catching up and registering the stabbing pain everywhere along her left side. “How bad is it?”

“Your leg is the worst. Why would you do something so stupid as stick it into the water?”

“It was the only way to get to her.” Azula mumbles sleepily, and her eyes lazily find Ty Lee’s, blown wide in concern. She’s on her right side, gripping her hand so tight Azula was starting to wince from that and not the burns. 

Mai is quick to read the room. “...Okay, I’ll leave you two for a minute. Get some rest, Azula. You need it.”

Azula doesn’t say anything until Mai has shut the door behind her.

“Where are we?” Is the first question she asks.

“The infirmary at the prison. A rescue balloon got you here as fast as it could.”

“Are you okay?” Was her second, noticing how badly her hands were shaking. Azula moves her hand so as to grab one of Ty Lee’s and inspect it. There were small burns littered across her palms, resembling that of droplets but not a full soak.

“You’re hurt.” Azula breathes, rubbing her thumb across them gingerly.

Ty Lee laughs, as if she can’t believe Azula’s answer. “I’m hurt? Look at yourself! I thought-”

She can see the fear in her eyes, making what she was about to say all too obvious to Azula.

“-I thought you were gonna die. You passed out right in front of me and your heartbeat was so weak I-”

“Hey.” Azula whispers, interlocking their fingers safely, but not too tightly as to hurt Ty Lee. “I’m okay.”

“No you’re not.” Ty Lee weeps. “The doctors said you might not be able to bend on your left side ever again.”

“Then I’ll make do.” 

Azula is scared by that revelation, but she can’t let it show. Azula was nothing without her bending, but Ty Lee was everything to her. If it meant breaking every rule in the book, then Azula would bend again. 

“I’m Azula, Lee. The only known fire bender to summon blue flames, and you think a few burns is going to stop me?”

“...No, but-”

“No buts.” Azula affirms. “I won’t hear them. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“But what about your Dad? He’s sure to be angry when he hears about all this.”

_Probably_ , Azula agrees in her head. He’ll be furious when he hears that she not only failed to stop them, but lost half her bending in the process. 

But that didn’t matter right now. The only thing that mattered was the fact that she had done what she risked it all for. Ty Lee was safe from harm, and aside from a few minor injuries, completely unharmed.

So instead of bursting into tears and saying how scared she was of what was to become of her, Azula gives Ty Lee a smile.

“You’re okay. That’s all that matters to me.”


	2. Chapter 2

“You allowed the Avatar to get away and lost half your bending abilities to save a  _ girl _ ?”

Her Father’s voice is cold, and demeaning. She knows how bad this looks to him, to everyone, but she believes she had done the best she could. Zuko had grown in their time apart, both in bending and wisdom. He managed to catch her off guard for once.

“She is invaluable.” Azula replies, head held down as she kneels before her Father’s throne.

“No girl is worth that much.”

_ She is to me _ .

“Give me more time. I will right this wrong, I promise you.”

Though she did not dare look up, she could imagine his heartless eyes and piercing stare. Azula was always one to succeed, never to fail to this degree. Zuko was the failure of the family, alongside her wretched Mother. She was not. She was a prodigy, a prodigy who would hurl blue flames and conquer any enemy. Her bending made her powerful, something to be scared of.

Without it, she was nothing.

She had to get it back.

“You have one month.” Ozai finally answers. “One month to prove to me that you are still worthy to be at my side.”

One month was all she got.

It was all she would need.

“I should hope I don’t have to explain the consequences if you fail me.”

He didn’t. Death would await her if she couldn’t succeed.

“I won’t.” Was all Azula says.

“Then go.”

-

The first week was spent in healing. Azula couldn’t do anything with her left side until the wounds could properly heal fully. She was forced to use crutches, and looked completely useless whenever trying to do something that would normally be such a routine activity for her. 

Writing documents had become especially hard, considering the fact that she was left handed.

The doctors said once the burns are healed, it will take time, but she will write with her left hand once more, but for now she was stuck having Mai do it. Ty Lee offered, but she didn’t know how to spell some of the more sophisticated words that Mai knew easily.

When she was finally able to take the bandages off, it was just as the doctors described. Half her body was scarred, the skin peeled into disgusting layers of reds and whites. It was rough to the touch, wrinkled and calloused, and though it still hurt to do so, she managed to stand on both feet evenly.

The first thing she does is try to conjure a flame.

All that comes is a small cloud of smoke.

Normally, she’d throw something or someone out of her room, but not this time. 

No, this was a sign that her bending was there, hidden under scars and stubborn skin. She could feel it in her arm, but it was so weak, almost nonexistent. 

She’d draw it back out within these next four weeks even if it killed her.

She would die if she didn’t anyway.

“Do you really think it will come back?” Ty Lee asks one night, watching Azula go through form after form, testing the limits of her new wounds.

“It will.” Azula huffs, finishing her final kata of the night just as a small opening of blood begins to stream down her arms. Ty Lee watches it go until droplets stain the grass below Azula. She wanted nothing more than to rush her to the royal physician, but she knew Azula wouldn’t let her.

Azula was stubborn. A small cut wouldn’t be enough to warrant her attention. She didn’t care if she bled to death right here in the moonlit grass.

She would bring her bending back, no matter what.

“It has to.”

That’s what scared Ty Lee the most.

-

“Don’t look at me.” Azula commands, but her voice is anything but confident.

“Why?” Ty Lee asks.

“I’m...Unsightly.”

Ty Lee sighs, seeing Azula run her fingers over her arm. She was in bed, back against the bed frame. The brunette had just entered, wanting to wish her girlfriend goodnight before having to leave. They couldn’t sleep together, lest they want to risk getting found out by the wrong people. The servants whispered, and it would eventually reach Azula’s father.

Crawling into bed with Azula, she takes her hand. The scarred one to prove her point.

“I think you’re beautiful.”

“Father says I’m a failure, and it’s almost unbearable to look at me.”

“That’s because he doesn’t appreciate what you did that day.” Ty Lee replies, squeezing the girls hand, but not too hard so as to not inflict pain. “You saved my life because you were willing to earn these scars.”

“Father says you're not worth it.”

“What your Father says doesn’t matter to me.” Was Ty Lee’s firm response. “What you did that day was your choice, and it kept me alive. To me, you’re not unbearable or unsightly. You’re caring, and beautiful.”

Azula says nothing at first, staring at nothing but the silk sheets of her bed. “What if he’s right?”

“I don’t care.” Ty Lee proclaims. “I love you, not him.”

Azula’s too startled by the realization to say it back.

-

One the eve of the second week’s end, Ty Lee says something strange to her.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to listen to your Father?”

They were eating together, in the privacy of Azula’s bedroom so as to not draw unwanted eyes. Still though, Azula could never be certain of who was listening in. The walls, while thick with stone and heavy doors, were full of secret passageways that any watchful eye could find and listen to them with.

“Don’t say such things, Ty Lee. I could have your head for it.”

“I trust you.” Ty Lee responds, but her head stays downward. “Enough that I will hope you will hear me out without resorting to such methods.”

Azula sets her bowl down. She wondered what Ty Lee would say if she allowed this conversation to happen. If Azula had any guess by the traitorous implications of her last statement, it wouldn’t bode well for their future.

But Ty Lee, while apparently doubtful, trusted Azula to speak of it. Azula, right hand to the man she claimed against, and heir to the throne. Azula, who could call the guards just on the other side of the door and execute her within the minute if she wished.

She did not wish it though. Nor did she wish any ill fated death for her girlfriend.

She was in this predicament because she did not wish it, so she would hear her out.

“Not here.” Azula says, standing up. While she no longer needed her crutches, she still leaned to her right side slightly. “Come.”

Azula leads her to her private balcony, secluded along the side of the palace no windows or other balconies could hear them from. Once Ty Lee steps out into the cool night air, Azula shuts the door behind them.

“Speak. I will only hear this once. The next will not be dealt with so mercifully.”

“Azula he plans to kill you if you don’t find your bending! You saved my life and you're being punished for it!”

“I’m handling it, Ty Lee.” Azula answers calmly. “Just say what you want. No harm will come to you by mine, or any others hand tonight. I promise.”

Ty Lee straightens up, and Azula can see her stern features hardening themselves. Azula knows she won’t agree with what Ty Lee says, but she will hear her out. Ty Lee is her girlfriend, she deserves at least that much.

“I want to join the Avatar, Zula, and I want you to come with me.”

There it is.

The big secret.

Azula does her best not to shout or scream at her girlfriend. 

“Why?” Azula replies as calmly as she could. “Do we not have everything here? This is our life, and you want to throw it all away for the people who tried to kill us?”

“They don’t want us to die, Zula.” Ty Lee tries.

“But they were willing to let it happen.” She shoots back. “You saw them watch as we plummeted to our imminent death. If they didn’t want us dead they would have helped us.”

“Would you have let them die if they were in our position?” 

Azula stares, silent as she thinks it over. Though, it doesn’t take her long, because yes, she would have.

If those were her orders.

“My mission was to recapture the prisoners who had broken out.” Azula answers. “I didn’t order the warden to cut the line. I had no intention of letting anyone die that day.”

“Neither did they” Ty Lee reasons. “They just wanted to escape with their friends. They didn’t know you would be there. They only did what they thought would get them out of there safely.”

“At the expense of not only mine, but your death.” Azula retaliates. “I will not forgive them for it, and neither should you.”

“I know I shouldn’t, but now you're faced with death again.” Ty Lee says. “I don’t want you to die, Azula. I want to live with you, not watch you be executed all because you can’t bend a little more than you can now.”

“Without my bending I am nothing.”

Ty Lee scoffs. “Is that it? Azula without your bending you’re still mine and Mai’s best friend. You’re still Princess of The Fire Nation. So what if you can’t bend?”

“Then I can’t make them pay for what they did to me. To you.” Azula says, walking and grabbing Ty Lee’s wrist, showing the burn marks still scattered across her palms. Ty Lee’s eyes widen. “Did you think I had forgotten about this? Because of them you got hurt.”

“No.” Ty Lee disagrees. “I got hurt trying to save you. Whether or not I grabbed your leg and pulled you back to the shore was my choice, not theirs.”

“You shouldn’t have had to pull me out of the water at all.” Azula says. “We only got to that point because my brother and his friends left us on that cart with no escape.”

“Please Azula.” Ty Lee pleads, moving to hug Azula by her waist. The hold is tight, showing her fervor, but Azula doesn’t move to reciprocate. She only stands, arms limp at her sides as she listens to Ty Lee.

“They hurt you, and they hurt me, but Ozai will  _ kill  _ you. Don’t you understand that? He’ll kill you. He doesn’t care about you, and if he found out about us he would execute us both. Please, Azula, run away with me.”

Run away with her.

It sounded like something straight from the fairytales they used to read as kids. It reminds her of simpler times. Lovely memories Azula would cherish for the rest of her life. 

But they weren’t kids anymore. They had to grow up.

Azula extracts Ty Lee from around her and gives her a hard stare. 

“My place is here, Ty Lee.” She says. “Even if I wanted to, we can’t. He’d hunt us down.”

“We can stop him.” Ty Lee presses. “With The Avatar, we can put an end to him. Please, Zula-”

“No.” Azula denies, her voice loud and clear. “That is my final answer.”

“Please-” Ty Lee trembles, her lip quivering.

“Never speak of this conversation again. We forget this ever happened, do you understand?”

Ty Lee says nothing, the beginnings of tears beginning to sprout from her eyes. Her words are written in her eyes, plain as day for Azula to see.

_ I don’t want you to die. _

Azula sighs, and gives the girl a small smile. Reaching her right hand up, she thumbs the tears away. 

“Have faith, Lee. My bending will return to me, and then you’ll see. Everything will be as it should.”

“Okay, Azula.” Ty Lee says, a smile forming on her lips as she blinks her tears back. “I trust you.”

-

When Azula wakes the next morning, a servant is waiting for her with news.

_ “Lady Ty Lee is missing.” _ They say.

Azula orders a search before disappearing into her room, the guards holding orders that no one is to step through those doors unless it was the Firelord himself.

Inside the walls of her room, Azula breaks down.

She should have known. Azula’s words weren’t enough to change that look in her eye. Ty Lee knew what Azula would say, and had made her peace with it. She had already decided to leave before they had even begun the conversation.

Ty Lee left her for those buffoons .

For the enemy.

When Mai finds her later, after the search parties had come up empty and the Firelord personally told her not to waste her time on the traitor, Azula is curled into herself. Knees drawn to her chest, she sat against the side of her bed, tears spilling from her eyes with no end in sight as Azula gripped the hairs atop her head.

Why?

Why would she leave her?

Why wasn’t Ty Lee happy here? With her?

“She’s gone, Azula. If Ty Lee doesn’t want to be found, then she’s not going to be.”

Just like Ursa.

The tears still straining her cheeks, Azula looks up to glare at Mai. The girl makes no indication of amusement at Azula’s state. In fact, she finds the barest hints of sorrow.

“She left us for the Avatar. That’s where she’s going.”

“How would you know that?”

“She told me last night.” Azula says, gritting her teeth. “I was such a fool to think she’d stay.”

Mai sighs, and takes a seat next to Azula. There is a good foot of distance between thm, and the silent tension in the air is palpable, but neither girl makes any inclination that they want to move.

“Why haven’t you told your Father?”

Azula buries her face into her knees. She had an answer for Mai. It was a simple one, but saying it would reveal too much. It would reveal just how much Azula cares, and she couldn’t let Mai know that. It was a weakness.

So instead, she says, “I don’t know.”

“Yes you do.” Mai presses. “I’m sad she’s gone too, you know, but she’s our best friend. She wouldn’t leave without so much as a note unless she had her reasons to.”

_ I don’t want you to die. _

“She betrayed us.” Azula mumbles. “Betrayed me. How am I supposed to let that go?”

“Trust that she’ll come back. If she doesn’t, then I’ll start hating her with you, deal?” Mai offers, and when Azula gives her a hateful stare, adds. “She left me too. I feel just as betrayed as you do.”

Azula returns her solemn gaze forwards, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

She couldn’t be distracted any longer. Ty Lee was gone, and Azula was still on a time limit. She had to figure out how to fix her bending, or Ty Lee’s fears will come true.

Maybe if she lives through this, Ty Lee will come home.

Determination fills her voice as she says, “Deal.”

-

By the end of the third week, Azula was ready to rip her hair out in frustration. 

Her limbs were at the brink of complete exhaustion. She’d been drilling through the katas for hours, and had nothing to show for it. It was like her body didn’t  _ want  _ her to live. It was accepting defeat before she was allowing it to.

Finishing the final form with a kick from her left, Azula is devastated to see that nothing but a small puff of smoke leaves her.

Her form is flawless, her rage is off the charts, and she was completely focused on the task at hand.

So why the  _ hell  _ couldn’t she produce even the smallest of flames?

Letting out an aggravated yell of frustrations, Azula shoots a ball of blue fire at the nearby bush. She had one week left to fix this, and she still had nothing to show to her Father. Not even a smidge of improvement.

And to make things worse, Ty Lee still wasn’t back yet.

Azula wonders what she’s doing. Did she find the Avatar? Did they ever allow her to join them in their quest? What did she say in order to gain that trust? Is she okay? Did she get hurt along the way?

Blinking, she realizes her questions had turned into concerns too quickly. 

“Princess!” A guard says, running up to her. Her pace looked quite urgent when Azula turned to see her. No sooner than she did, the guard bows in front of her. “We’ve captured a prisoner who we believe to be one of The Avatar’s cohorts.”

Azula sucks in a breath, not letting herself have hope. “Has my Father been made aware of this?”

“No, Princess. I was going to send word after informing you.”

“Hold off on reporting it, and take me to them.” 

“Princess?” The guard questions, clearly confused by her order to keep this a secret from Ozai.

“I will not repeat myself.” Azula commands, refusing to explain herself to a lowly guard. “Do as I say.”

“O-Of course, Princess. This way.”

On the way to the prison, Azula is informed that the prisoner had just walked in, saying that they were part of the Avatar’s group and wasn’t looking for any trouble. Azula knew straight away that there was more to this than she knew. Most importantly, it could be a trap.

Azula can’t find it within herself to care.

They reach the prison, and Azula is led to a cell which the guard says contains the prisoner within. She orders the guard to open it.

When she does, and Azula steps inside, she comes face to face with what Azula remembers to be the water bender Katara. She was cuffed at all for limbs, her hands completely covered by a mental dome so as to not allow her to bend any water she might be able to find in the room.

“So,” Azula starts, her regal composure up and ready for the enemy to see. “They tell me you just walked right in.”

Katara only eyes her hand and says, “So Ty Lee was telling the truth.” 

Following her gaze, Azula holds up her left hand before leaving it at her side clenched tightly. “And it appears my suspicions of her joining your forces were correct.”

“They weren’t suspicions. She told you the night before, but you refused to listen to her.” Katara says, her eyes narrowing. 

Azula scoffs. “Does Ty Lee have no filter whatsoever?”

“We didn’t let her. It was either she tells us the whole truth or we left her abandoned in the woods.”

Just the thought of someone treating Ty Lee so harshly sends a spike of anger through her veins. “What are you doing here, necklace?”

“Truthfully, I don’t know.” Katara sighs. “This was Ty Lee’s idea. She wants to prove something about you, but I can safely say you still look as evil as you did the first time I faced you.”

Was...Was Ty Lee testing her? Was there a decision she was supposed to make her?

What was the right answer?

Azula turns away from Katara, thinking over her next move. Normally, she’d tell the Firelord, and he would decide what to do with her. This, no doubt, would end in an execution by Azula’s hand since she was the one to bring her to him.

But Azula has a feeling that it wasn’t the answer Ty Lee was hoping for. 

Ty Lee had joined the Avatar, and sent one of their best benders into the heart of The Fire Nation. She wouldn’t have done that unless she thought Azula would make a decision that resulted in Katara’s freedom.

Azula’s eyes widen.

Did Ty Lee expect her to help Katara escape?

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Azula laughs, turning back to Katara.

The water bender gives her a funny look. “What’s so funny?”

Shaking her head, the laughter halts and Azula bangs on the door once. It promptly opens, and Azula steps out into the halls. Once the door is shut behind her, she commands, “Make no notice to the Firelord that she is here. I’ll be back soon with further orders.”

“Princess, standard protocol states that-”

“I know the protocol.” Azula barks. “You’ll do as I say, are we clear?”

The guard gulps. “Yes, Princess.”

“Good.” Azula states, and walks away from the cell.

-

She finds herself in Mai’s room. Well, it was more Zuko’s, but Mai had been spending an awful lot of time in it.

“Can I help you, Azula?” Mai asks upon her entry.

“There is a member of the Avatar’s team in my prison and I have no clue what to do about it.”

Quick, simple, easy. 

Mai doesn’t catch on as quickly as Azula thought she would. “I’m sorry?”

Taking a deep breath, Azula says, “I was right. Ty Lee is with The Avatar and has apparently sent Katara in to prove something about me.”

Mai nods, starting to understand the situation. “And how am I supposed to be of any help in this?”

“For once, I don’t know what to do, Mai.” She says. “I was hoping that you...you could help.”

“You’re asking for advice?” Mai repeats, clearly dumbfounded by Azula’s exposure of weakness.

Azula says nothing. Her choices were clear, but the answers were not. Her brain and instinct told her to go back to the prison right now and bring Katara to her Father to be dealt with accordingly.

“Well what does your heart say about it all?”

Her heart?

Her heart had no role in this. All her heart wanted was to see Ty Lee again. 

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It does.” Mai insists. “You weren’t using your head when you decided to get half your body burned off. You were thinking with your heart.”

“I-” Azula stammers, realizing the truth in those words. “That’s different…”

Ty Lee mattered to her. Katara didn’t. There was a difference that Azula felt was necessary to point out.

“But Ty Lee wants to prove something right? What if it’s to prove to her that you can decide on something other than what will best please your Father?”

Choosing something new.

Azula had always done what was asked of her, what was expected of her. Never had she considered doing something that would jeopardize that.

“How can you even insinuate doing such a thing?” Azula questions. “I’m only doing-”

“What’s best for your Father? For your country? For your position?” Mai offers, listing off the reason with such ease yet robotic-like symptoms Azula can’t help but question the legitimacy of them. Doubling back, Azula scolds herself for even allowing such a doubt to root itself in her mind. “Ty Lee doesn’t care about any of that. She cares about  _ you  _ and  _ your  _ feelings.”

Azula is speechless, all this new information being thrown at her in such waves that she was paralyzed before it, only able to take it as it came at her.

“So,” Mai starts. “What do  _ you  _ want, Azula?”

Azula wants a lot of things. She wants to be at her Father's side again. She wants her bending back, she wants to have control over herself and her emotions. She wants to place trust in the friends she held close but is finding that rather difficult right now with her closest having left her for the enemy.

But most of all, Azula just wants to see Ty Lee again.

-

That night, Azula can’t sleep. So much so that she is up in the middle of the night, clad in only her flaming red royal robes, and pacing the floor like a madwoman.

What  _ did  _ she want? Letting Katara go wouldn’t bring Ty Lee back. Or would it? Was that something Ty Lee needed to know from her? That Azula was willing to let the enemy free if it meant seeing her again?

Azula still didn’t know the answer, and it was driving her insane.

What did Ty Lee want from her? Did she really expect Azula to drop everything in order to give Ty Lee what she wants? She’s already under enough pressure with the fact that her bending hasn’t come back.

This was all happening too fast, Azula concludes, stopping in her tracks and looking towards her closet, which hosted all of her armor and outfits. She didn’t have any time to think about her options or truly evaluate what she wanted. Ty lee was making her decide something she didn’t have time to fully understand.

Azula chews the inside of her cheek.

She could do it. The plan was already formulating in her brain. It would be so simple it’s almost idiotic, but that’s considered treason. Azula was the Princess to the Fire Nation, and here she was, thinking of helping Katara, friend of The Avatar escape back to her friends.

What did Azula want?

“You’re not giving me much of a choice here, Lee.” Azula mumbles, walking into her closet and grabbing her armor.

-

Everything was set, all Azula needed to do was get inside the cell.

It was simple enough. She simply strode up to the very same guard as early, looking as regal and confident as ever and saying, “Go get the prisoner her meal. She may be scum, but she still needs to eat.”

“But who will stand watch, Princess?” The guard asks, ever dutiful to her job.

Azula holds out her hand. “I will. Give me the key.”

The guard does as she’s commanded, and is off down the hall and out of sight in seconds. 

Azula enters the cell, shutting it closed. Katara looks up at her.

“You’re back.”

Azula says nothing, merely walking up to the girl, towering above her. She debated one final time on actually doing this. If anyone found out, Azula would be executed. It didn’t matter if she was the rightful heir to the throne, treason is treason.

Her right fist lights a blue flame, taking the form of a dagger’s blade and drawing Katara’s attention. She is unsurprised.

“I knew you were no different than before.” She spits, and Azula glares at her.

She should turn away right now, and when the guard comes back, order the prisoner to be taken to the palace where the Firelord would wake up to Azula having captured one of The Avatar’s friends. It would be so simple, and would no doubt regain Ozai’s trust in her capabilities as his right hand.

But for some reason, Azula has an urge to prove her wrong.

Her hand moved upwards above her head, the flame pointed at Katara fatefully. She closes her eyes, and makes peace with Azula’s decision.

With a swipe downward, Katara’s chains are broken. A similar action on the other side let her loose.

Katara opens her eyes in shock.

“The guard will be back with food and no doubt some sort of liquid you can use.” Azula explains, taking Kata’s hands and unlocking the chains around her wrists. She moves to the feet. “There’s a bucket of water just around the corner down the left side of this hallway. Take it and keep running forward, you’ll end up at the front doors not long after that. Knock me out to make it look real. I can come up with something to tell my Father.”

“Why are you doing this?” Katara breathes in complete disbelief. “This is treason against your Father, right?”

“He doesn’t need to know that.” Azula says calmly, and the final shackle falls. Azula stands upright. “Now, come on. Make it look good.”

Katara stands. It’s clear she’s still in shock, but her cuffs were gone and Azula was letting her leave, so she was going to take the chance.

Her fist comes at Azula’s cheek, but the fire bender stops it with her palm before it could make contact.

“Tell Ty Lee something for me.” Azula requests, seeing Katara’s blown out eyes. Lowering her fist, Katara nods her head. Azula looks away. “Tell her...Tell her I’m sorry I couldn’t come with her.”

Silent for a moment, Katara processes her words before giving her a more affirming nod. “I will.”

Something collides with Azula’s cheek, knocking her to the floor and her head hitting the ground harshly. Her vision goes black seeing Katara walk to the door.

-

“Why was this not reported to me?!” Ozai yells, his voice raising dramatically.

Azula, still sore in the mouth with a raging headache, says, “I wanted to make sure her being here wasn’t a trap before bringing her to you. Guards told me to show waltzed right in without putting up a fight.”

“I suppose that makes sense, but why were you there in the middle of the night?”

While his regal outfit was ever the same as any other time she was present in front of him, the bags under his eyes and his slouched position told her how tired he was. He was also clearly upset to be awoken in the earliest of the day's hours because both Azula and his army failed to keep a prisoner within their midst for more than a day.

“I had questions I wanted answers to, but apparently she was expecting me, and had devised a plan.”

“The chains were burned through, Azula. Would you care to explain that?”

“She forced me to do it, and threatened to kill me if I didn’t comply.”

“Then you should have died.”

The words ring in her ears. He was downright  _ saying  _ he would have preferred she died rather than let one prisoner escape. Azula can see his point of view. It  _ was _ a member of The Avatar’s team, but Azula was his daughter. Did that not mean something to him?

“I’ve been meaning to ask. Have you sorted out your bending yet?”

Azula’s eyes train themselves on the floor solemnly, indicating her answer for him to see.

“You have a week left. I should hope you’ll have better news for me then.” Ozai commands, and she dips her head into a bow. It was clear he did not want verbal answers, only submission. 

“Now get out of my sight.”

Upon leaving the throne room, Mai is there waiting for her. The two make brief eye contact, and Mai knows how it went without even a word from the fire bender. She was alive, which meant things had gone well enough.

Azula turns to walk to her bedroom, and Mai catches up not long after.

The two of them were a strange pair. They didn’t need words to understand the other. Mai knew Azula wouldn’t talk of what happened, but she knows enough from their conversation earlier to know what Azula had done. She also knows that speaking of it out here in the open would be like asking for execution in front of the Firelord himself.

She also understood that Azula saw it now. The cruelness her Father was bestowing upon her, like it was a gift.

Ozai doesn’t care if she lives or dies. He’s never cared. 

“Ty Lee was right.” Azula mumbles, barely conceivable to the ear but Mai was close enough to comprehend it.

Mai says nothing other than, “Would you like to share a cup of tea, Princess?”

Azula accepts, and Mai follows her into her room after Azula orders the guard to bring them some tea. While Azula changes out of her uniform, Mai waits, sitting patiently at the small table. Azula comes out just as a servant brings them their tea.

“Set it on the table.” Azula commands, and the servant does so, bowing appropriately and leaving the room just as quick as she had come. 

Azula locks the door behind her, and takes a seat across from Mai while she pours the tea.

“I planned to betray you at boiling rock, you know.” Mai says, not even the slightest hesitation in her voice.

Azula’s scarred hand hesitates to pick up the cup Mai had set out for her. “What?”

“If things were different, and Zuko was on the cart about to drop, I would have betrayed you.” Mai explains, taking a sip of her own after blowing on it a little. “I tried to stop them from cutting the line, but by the time they realized who was on it, it was too late.”

“...I see.” Azula says after a moment. 

“That’s it?” Mai says, a bit in disbelief. “No anger? No feeling of betrayal? Nothing?”

“If you had told me this 2 weeks ago, absolutely.” Azula sighs. “But right now, I can’t bring myself to care.”

“So you thought with your heart, I’m guessing?”

“More or less.” Azula mumbles, looking down at the tea in the cup. It would grow cold if she didn’t drink it soon. “I committed treason, Mai.”

“I’m surprised you actually did it. I didn’t think you would have the guts.”

“What?” Azula asks, confused.

“You did something for the sake of what you thought was right. You knew the consequences, and still let her go.” She says. “You let the enemy go.”

“I still don’t know  _ why _ , though.” Azula says, setting her cup down. “Why would I do something so stupid?”

“Because deep down, you know the truth. This nation is in the wrong. Your Father is wrong, you just don’t want to admit it yet.”

Azula’s starting to think Mai is right.

-

The week passes, and Sozin’s Comet is brought upon them. Ozai’s plan is set, and Azula is expected to have her bending back.

She doesn’t.

He glares down at her from his throne, eyeing her scarred hand, which still produced nothing more than smoke atop of it.

“I’ve tried everything.” Azula says. She should be on her knees begging for more time, but truthfully, she doesn’t care. There’s been no sign of Ty Lee from the search party’s she’s sent out, and with the growing doubt she has in this Nation and its leader, Azula’s starting to think dying is the better move.

One day, he’d find out about her treason, and then it’s over for her.

It’d be best to just get it over with here and now. She’s already a failure anyway.

Without her bending, she is nothing.

_ You’re still mine and Mai’s best friend. _

Azula wonders what would have happened if Azula had said yes. If they had run away that night, probably bringing Mai with them too, would they have made it? Could they have been happy together?

“Kneel.”

Azula falls to her knees, but her head is anywhere but in the present.

_ I don’t want you to die. _

Then why did she leave her alone?

Her Father rises, and makes his way down the flight of stares until he is standing over her.

“You’ve failed me. As a soldier, heir, and daughter.”

She hears his words, but they mean nothing to her now.

She wishes she would have run that day. Why did she have to be so stubborn? Ty Lee only wanted what’s best for her. What would keep her alive, but Azula stubbornly refused. Her pride was too big, thinking that of course her bending would come back. She was Azula, why wouldn’t it?

“You’re not worthy to be at my side, nor to be on the throne you so desire.” He bellows, his voice carrying the weight of thousands of leaders before him. His fists ignite into daggers, similar to that of the one she used to commit treason against him.

She doesn’t want any of what he said anymore. She had thought she did once, but now she was thinking with her heart.

And her heart wanted Ty Lee.

“I’m sorry.” Azula whispers, but it isn’t to her Father. It isn’t to atone for what she had failed to do for him. It’s to atone for making Ty Lee think Ozai’s will meant more to her than Ty Lee did.

If she were to meet Ty Lee in another life, she’d never make that mistake again.

A tear drops to the ground, and Azula smiles, closing her eyes and accepting her fate.

His hand goes up, and when he goes to stab it down, Azula hears a loud shout of pain, in her Father’s voice.

Looking up, she sees a knife wedged in Ozai’s hand, blood dripping down from the wound and onto the floor in front of her.

It was one of Mai’s.

“Yeah, I’m not too keen on you killing my friend, Firelord Ozai.” The girl says, and Azula looks behind her, seeing Mai standing there, hand still outstretched from throwing the weapon.

“You bitch!” He yells. “You’ll pay for this insolence!”

“Oh yeah?” Mai says, drawing three more knives into her other hand.

Suddenly, the door to the throne room bursts open, and Azula see’s The Avatar entirely, alongside his friends. Katara is among them.

“I’d like to see you try.”

Mai throws the knives, giving Azula a small glance before taking off after Ozai. 

Her vision is cleared to see the others, Aang shooting up into the air, Toph sliding her feet across the rocks like a wave, Sokka yelling something and throwing his boomerang, Suki next to him, only more composed about her fighting tactics. 

Katara is running towards her, and Azula can see the faint bob of a familiar ponytail behind her figure. 

Ty Lee becomes visible, sprinting around Katara with relief written all over her face. 

“Ty Lee.” Azula breathes, and moves to stand but Ty Lee reaches her before she could and is tackled into a hug that sends them both to the ground.

“You did it.” Ty Lee whispers upon impact. “You let her go.”

Azula scoffs. “I still don’t understand why.”

“Because it was the right thing to do.”

Azula hums, not at all caring for the new revelation as she pulls the two of them upwards, Ty Lee settling in her lap. Even in the midst of a battle, they only cared about each other.

“Sorry it took us so long.” Katara says, trying to break the awkward tension. “Even when I joined Ty Lee’s side on this, it took forever to convince them.”

“Why the change of heart?”

“You proved what Ty Lee wanted you to.” Katara smiles, uncorking the cap of her canteen strapped to her side and bending the water within. “That you're more than just your Father’s pawn.”

And with that, Katara leaves to join the others.

Azula sits there, processing her words and realizing just what they meant.

Ty Lee knew she was better than what she was, and risked everything to prove it.

“I have half a mind to break up with you for abandoning me like that.” Azula mumbles, earning a laugh from Ty Lee.

“You won’t do it though.” She says confidently, pulling away and rising to her feet, bringing Azula with her. “I’m too pretty.”

With a smile, Azula reaches her scarred hand up to stroke Ty Lee’s cheek. Ty Lee neither flinches nor scrunches up in disgust. Instead, she leans into the touch and places a caring hand over Azula’s.

She decides, in that moment, to tell Ty Lee when this is all over.

Maybe then they could run away like Ty Lee wanted them to. If Ty Lee still wanted them to.

“Guys?!” A familiar voice shouts from outside the throne room. Azula looks in time to see Zuko sliding into the doorway, running inside. “The comet’s about to start!”

Azula could feel it. Her right side’s power increased greatly, while her left, while increasing too, wasn't nearly as powerful. Though, she doesn’t care about that right now.

Leaving Ty Lee’s side, she begins to walk over to her brother, who is jogging over to her like he’s never done a thing wrong to her in his life.

“Hey sis-!”

Azula socks him right in the jaw.

He groans, bringing his hands up to cradle his cheek. “What the hell was that for, Azula!”

“ _ That _ , Zuzu,” Azula starts, cracking her knuckles threateningly. “Was for nearly killing Ty Lee.”

She kicks his side, and he falls to the floor.

“And  _ that _ ,” Azula huffs, enjoying his weakened position immensely. “Was for nearly killing me.”

Ty lee pulls at her arms, preventing Azula from doing anymore damage. “Okay Azula, you’ve had your revenge. Is it all out of your system?”

“...For now.” Azula decides, still glaring at her brother as he works his ways onto his knees, still clutching his chest.

“Alright.” He coughs, looking up at them with a weak smile. “I deserved that.”

“Damn right you did.” Azula grits, only held back by her girlfriend's grip. 

“Is the family reunion ever yet?!” Sokka calls, and the three of them turn to see all of them struggling under Ozai’s power, fueled now by the comet’s energy. “We could really use some help!”

“No!” Ty lee shouts, seeing their defeated positions and sprinting towards them before Azula could stop her. Azula runs after her, seeing that her Father was powering up a fatal blast that could kill anyone in its vicinity. 

Ty Lee would die.

She can’t let that happen.

“Zuko go around!” Azula commands, and Azula just barely is able to grab Ty Lee’s wrist and pull her back.

“Zula no-!” She screams as she falls, Azula passing her with gritted teeth.

Damn these idiots for making her be the good guy.

Why can’t she just run away with Ty Lee? Why can’t anything she wants ever be simple?

Protect her and she’ll get it though. Protect them, and they can be happy.

Just before Ozai shoots his blast of fire, strong enough to burn through hundreds of crops in seconds, Azula stomps both feet to the ground and draws her hands up, creating the largest, most powerful fire she could.

Shutting her eyes tightly, she focuses all her energy on keeping it up for as long as Zuko needed to stop their Father from his attack. 

“Zula look!” Ty Lee shouts from behind her, and Azula looks up to see her fire not just blue, but red as well. It swirled together, creating faint undertones of purple in the wall.

She looks to her left hand, and sees the red fire bursting from it.

Azula can feel it. The fire flowed through her once more. It was there, just as strong as her right and ready to hold her Father back. But her energy was dwindling, so Azula was forced to let the barrier fall, along with herself down to her knees.

Ty Lee is at her side within seconds, repeating the same  _ ‘are you okay?’, ‘are you hurt? _ ’ questions in 70 different variations. Azula only clasps her left hand, and conjures the small red flame within it.

“Look Lee. I told you so.” She chuckles weakly, her energy spent.

Ty Lee laughs, holding onto Azula tighter. “Yeah. You did, Zula. You saved us all.”

Azula relaxes into the hold, not having the strength or will to deny it. 

Together, they watch Aang do something to Ozai, the room lighting up into blinding red and cyan lights for a moment. Azula has no clue what’s happening, but seeing as Aang was conscious and her Father looked weaker than she did right now, Azula makes the safe assumption that they won.

-

After everything is said and done, Zuko is crowned Firelord.

Azula’s happy for him, but the coronation was a bit too goody two shoes for her. People thank her for aiding The Avatar in stopping Ozai, but Azula couldn’t care less about their handshakes and shallow gratitude. 

Azula didn’t do it for them. She did it to keep Ty Lee safe.

It’s been her only reason for doing anything since that day at the boiling rock prison. It didn't matter to her if the world burned at the stake, so long as Ty Lee was with her when it did. If Ty Lee was at her side, then Azula could get through anything.

That being said, there were some perks to being somewhat of a hero in the public eye. That being the get out of jail free card. Her betrayal of Ozai and a solid vouch from Aang solidified her freedom in the new world, free to do whatever she liked.

“A few weeks ago you asked me something.” Azula says when she and Ty Lee are alone in Azula’s chambers. “You asked me to run away with you. Do you still want to do that?”

“Zula…” Ty Lee mumbles, caught off guard by the question.

“Ask again, and I’ll say yes.” Azula responds. “Those two weeks not with you at my side were the absolute worst, Ty Lee. I don’t want that to happen again, so if you want to leave this place, then just say the word.”

Ty Lee, despite Azula's very serious claim, giggles. “I only ran away because of your Father. Now that he’s out of the picture, I’ll stay here. With you.”

“But-”

“My home is with you, Zula. No matter where that is.”

“You’d stay?” Azula repeats. “You don’t want to run?”

“Do you?” Ty Lee asks, stepping into Azula’s space with big, glittering orbs shining up at her.

“I want whatever you want.” Azula whispers. “That’s what my heart desires.”

“So if I said I wanted to live in Ba Sing Se and never return?”

“I’d have Zuko get us a spot on the next boat there.” Azula answers. “I just want to be with you.”

“So do I.” Ty Lee agrees with a loving smile. “But you have duties here, even if you're not the Firelord. We’ll stay, okay?”

“Whatever you want.” Was Azula’s response.

Ty Lee chuckles, leaning up to rest her forehead against Azula’s. “I love you.”

Azula presses back, and without fear says what she’s always wanted to.

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i made a second part
> 
> did yall like it?

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by an old au i made MONTHS ago and just remembered recently. it'd be fun to explore this one, but honestly i don't think I will so don't get your hopes up.
> 
> i hope you liked it :)


End file.
